Volkl Cyclone Tour Playtest

Gauge of playtest string - I received the 17 g set which is the normal gauge I use.

Tension used for playtest - I took the TW recommendation and strung it 3 pounds higher (60) than my normal 57. After hitting, I would have strung it higher 5-7 pounds more than normal.

Regular string set up - I have used volkl cyclone in the past as my normal string, but I have been using Solinco outlast 17g at 57#.

Racquet brand and model used for test - I currently use the 2012 version of the Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Plus.

Power of test string - I feel this is a powerful poly that gives you an extreme amount of pop. For me in this frame I would string it even higher next time. I had a hard time keeping balls in that would normally hit near the baseline. Its not a bad quality by any means, just not for me as I use a powerful stick and have ample power already. I prefer a dead feeling poly which this is not.

Feel - I think that this is where this string shines. It delivers great feel for touch shots. The softer more responsive poly allows me to have greater control with at the net touch shots.

Spin - spin is good with these strings, but not great. I feel they produce about the same as the original cyclone and feel that the twist does nothing to help. I did feel more spin on backhand drop shots, but I have a feeling the feel of the softer poly gave that illusion.

Comfort - for Poly's, I think that these are right up there with head sonic pro. Very comfy poly right off the bat. I strung another set in my sisters racquet and she loves these strings. They are a great string for those with sore elbows who don't want to leave ploys.

Durability - as with the original, I think they are very durable. As a hard hitter, I experienced no breakage and cut the strings out only after the went dead. Volkl makes some great strings and these are right up there. They very durable for such a soft feeling poly.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - the only thing I noticed on playability as the power tammed down once the tension dropped a bit and the strings lost some of the livlyness.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - control was high with these string with a slower stroke. When hit with less pace, I could place the ball where needed. Touch shots were spot on and I loved the string in close at the net. The problem is when I swung away with a normal swing, the pop was too much and balls would tend to sail.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) Due to the extra power I would suggest stringing 5-7 pounds higher. That is is you want them to feel similar to the other ploys you use. If you like the added pop 2-3 higher.

Compare to the string you use most often- I feel it has a lot of the same e characteristics as sonic pro. Even though these are twisted, they have the same feel and playability once the sonic pro has settled in. The volkl hits smooth of the bat, but with a lot Monroe power that sonic pro.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare. - yes, extensively. These do not have the dead feel the of cyclone had. The of cyclone was a great dead poly, but lacks the feel of the new tour. This softer tour will be popular with people who do not generate a lot of power but still like the added bennifit of poly.

Gauge of playtest string -- 16gTension used for playtest -- 55lbsRegular string set up -- Luxilon Alu Power fullbed 52lbsRacquet brand and model used for test -- Dunlop F 3.0 TourPower of test string -- The Cyclone tour has some nice pop. Once I broke them in and hit for an hour or so, the ball flew off my stringbed with great pace. As opposed to my usual Lux strings, these felt much more lively. I adapted to them pretty smoothly, but others might find the liveliness overbearing. Feel -- When I was hitting, I was reminded of a hybrid I once used of Technifibre Red Code with X-One Biphase in the crosses. The plush feel is there, but the solidity of the polyester was also evident. So, with its enhanced softness, I have to say this polyester practically feels like a hybrid.Spin -- Spin is ample. Not as potent as the RPM Blast, but more capable of producing spin than Alu Power (but perhaps not Alu Power Rough). So the ball's not going to dip dramatically on every shot, but while these strings are fresh, they offer sufficient spin.Comfort -- The softness of the strings surely enhance the comfort, because I felt no arm issues or discomfort on my shots at any time. Very satisfactory.Durability -- I've played at least ten sets with these strings, which roughly translates to four hundred minutes (forty minute sets were about the average), or nearly 7 hours. I played a set earlier today and they show zero signs of breaking. Extremely durable, so zero complaints in this department.Playability Duration -- Like I mentioned, I played a set earlier and though the tension dropped significantly, they were playable enough for me to win 6-0. Actually, I just remembered I played another set after that too, and won 6-0. The spin potential began fading around the fifth set, and the balls started shooting off the stringbed a little too much around the fifth hour. But that's to be expected with a polyester.Control -- Good control. Not as good as the Alu Power, but very, very close in terms of control. Tension recommendations -- I recommend 54-56lbs. It worked very well for me at 55lbs!Compare to the string you use most often -- This provides more spin, better feel and comfort, and more pop than Luxilon Alu Power, but it isn't quite as good in terms of control and playability duration. And probably durability as well, though that's hardly a problem.If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare -- Ok, so it took my a while to decide which I like better, but I have to say the original is just slightly better. BUT!!! That's because of the racquet I'm using. My Dunlop F3.0 Tour offers plenty of pop on its own, so when paired with the Cyclone Tour, I was hitting a few more shots long. Also, the spin potential wasn't quite as good as the regular Cyclone, so I'll probably go back to black, but I have zero regrets giving these strings a go. In fact, I still have two more sets of them and I look forward to using the fresh sets.

Power of test string - The Cyclone Tour had, for me, just enough power to keep me satisfied. Power was definitely not in short supply; however you definitely have to really swing to get it. Overall, while it wasn’t as powerful as BHB7 I was very satisfied with the power that I was getting from these strings.

Feel – While touch shots were well above average the actual sound and feedback I got from hitting was not good. I got very little pocketing and the sound off the strings was a cheap “pingy” sound. Even with well struck balls I didn’t get any deep boom like sounds or a solid feeling pop that I’m accustomed to. With that said, however, my drop shots and touch shots were actually very nice. My hitting partner commented on a few of the drop shots and how the spin pulled the ball back toward the net after the bounce. My volleys were solid and placement was good. While I wasn’t pleased with the feel of the strings, the end result was definitely a positive. On a side note, these strings, while softer than MSV FH and RPM blast and all the other stiffer strings they are not as soft compared to BHB7 or Black Widow. If you like a soft poly this may not be for you, and if you like a stiffer poly, again this may not be for you, however if you want a string that is literally in the middle than definitely give these a try. Lastly, I had no arm issues or soreness after my match.

Spin – Compared to BHB7 the spin just doesn’t compare (most don’t), but that doesn’t mean the spin is lacking. Not many strings can give you the spin and work of BHB7 and while I couldn’t generate the super aggressive dips and high bouncing balls, I can’t recall any of my shots going long and only a one falling unreasonably short. The spin is definitely controllable and ample when aggressively struck. My backhand slice was above average but I did notice more than a few falling short, but even then it skid of the ground making it very difficult on my opponent. While I wasn’t trying to hit these short low shots, again, the end result was positive. I also remember hitting a topspin backhand which felt like it should have gone long, and I though it did if not for my partner telling me it landed on the line. I was very impressed by the spin after that shot and while BHB7 generates more spin I almost prefer this more controllable, yet ample, amount of spin generated by CT.

Durability – Compared to BHB7 CT is definitely more durable. I played two very long sets with this setup and after my session I noticed very little notching and wear. Though definitely, not as durable as MSV FH, but more durable than BHB7 and Hurricane Pro Tour. I was very satisfied with the wear or lack there of.

Playability Duration – I played 2 sets hitting aggressive off the baseline and kicking my first and second servce and I did not notice any decline in play or playability. In fact, as I continued and got accustomed to the setup I was definitely controlling my shots better and still getting a good amount of spin and power. Tension maintenance seemed fine for 2 strong sets.

Control – I think this is the strong point for this string. It does a lot of things well, not great, but well and the amount of control you get with the nice amount of power, for me, was welcomed. The only shots I generally missed were wide and in the net and mostly those shots were forced errors from my opponent. I played a very consistent match and found I could go for more and still feel confident that I wasn’t going to spray the ball.
Tension recommendations – Since tension varies from racquet to racquet I was happy with my 49 lbs since this line of Donnay is generally low in power. I prefer very powerful strings since I feel I can get all the control from the racquet. For more powerful racquets I would say 52-55 lbs would be a good start, for lower power racquets 45-49 lbs.

Compare to the string you use most often – Not as powerful as BHB7 or as “spinny”, however I would say the control is better and overall a very nice string for someone who hasn’t played with, or has limited experience with a poly. This does everything well, good touch, nice power, good spin, and above average control. If you don’t mind the lack of feel and feedback I think it’s a very nice entry level string made for the masses. Personally I’m going to play with this some more and fool around with the tension. Overall I like it and may consider this as an option going forward.

Gauge of playtest string; 17g
Tension used for playtest; I usually string mid to high 40's but i strung this at 52
Regular string set up; Beast xp mains and nxt control crosses
Racquet brand and model used for test; Aerogel 4d 300 tour
Power of test string; This string had nice pop and can easily send the ball flying long. Maybe a couple pounds tighter and it would be a bit more playable.
Feel; not to stiff and not to mushy, a little unresponsive.
Spin; provided a good amount of spin. My forehand is kind of flat but i could notice on my backhand slice and topspin that it had very good spin.
Comfort; played for 3 hours and had no elbow pain and it had good comfort
Durability; strings showed no sign of grove marks
Playability Duration; strings played with good power and good spin for the 3 hours i played. no noticeable difference in the string from start to finish
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) it had good control partly due to the good amount of spin that could be generated. Flatter shots were a little more difficult with fast swings.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) I would go 2-3 pounds tighter to get a little less power so i could have more control.
Compare to the string you use most often; These strings have more power and about the same amount of spin and less control than my current strings.
If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare. Never played with before.

Racquet brand and model used for test Head YouTek IG Radical Pro (modded to 355 grams)

Power of test string I found that this string was plenty powerful on it's own at the tension I used. It wasn't that there was a surplus of power, nor a lack of it, it was equally balanced. I was able to harness the power the string provided but didn't feel that I was ever going to overhit long or wide.

Feel This was pretty decent. I could feel the ball on the stringbed when hitting touch shots and when hitting out. Very responsive I'd say.

Spin I don't know if it was me and the crummy weather lately, but the spin production was nothing special. The "gears" wore down pretty quickly (within the first two hours of hitting) so it was just another round poly. The spin that I did get felt pretty thin and I had to put in extra effort to get the string to spin the ball more than on normal strokes.

Comfort I would say that the Tour version is much softer than it's rigid cousin. It offers a nice comfortable bed with little string vibration. I didn't have many pains other than normal soreness after hitting a few hours with this. It was nice.

Durability Unfortunately, I have had some crummy weather here, so I have not been able to play a lot with this string (about 7 hours) and the tension has dropped significantly. The last hour of play the string became mushy and overly springy. They have not notched much at all, but I will have to cut them out after the next hitting session (I want to see if they bust).

Playability Duration As mentioned above, the play for the first couple of hours, the string felt pretty good. But after the strings started to round and tension dropped, the stringbed became mushy and hard to control.

Control I noticed with this string, at normal swingspeeds and contact, the trajectory was quite low. A lot of balls were going into the net, I had to put lift on the ball to get it to go over the net consistently. Once I got my timing down, I could but the ball where I needed to with ease. Not very demanding when locked in on contact point.

Tension recommendations I would go a little higher on my tension, maybe 55lbs. The power was there but I felt like I needed more of an even plane to feel connected to the ball.

Compare to the string you use most often It's definitely a different feeling string, it's not crisp upon contact but it was more comfortable than my normal set up. I didn't love the softness of the stringbed but I could see myself giving it another go had I used a higher tension.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare. It's much less crisp that the original Cyclone. I would prefer to go back to the original if I had to choose. The tour was too soft and lost playability/tension too quickly. I did, however; enjoy the color.

Racquet brand and model used for test
Wilson BLX Five weighted up to 12 oz.

Ease of stringing
I found Cyclone Tour fairly easy to string. No excessive coil memory. In spite of the very visible and pronounced ridges, the string did not hurt my fingers. Weaving crosses was also a piece of cake.

Power of test string
Plenty of pop, although not as explosive as my gut/poly hybrid.

Feel
"Middle of the road" on everything. Not very crisp, not very soft. It has a somewhat mushy feel that some might interpret as "soft" but nowhere as soft as Prince Beast XP, Weiss Cannon Mosquito Bite or Turbo Twist. Don't expect great touch shots with this setup. Cyclone Tour is only somewhat crisp and doesn't bite the ball as well as I'd like. It is not quite easy on the ear as well: it produces a loud, annoying "ping" noise, even when dampened with Gamma Shockbuster.

Spin
The spin level is average, definitely lower than my gut-poly hybrid. Lower than Luxilon M2, ALU, RPM Blast. To my surprise, I found it easier and more enjoyable to drive the ball more flat with this setup.

Comfort
Cyclone Tour is above average in comfort for a poly, but it is the type of poly with a somewhat mushy feel that serves to mask its stiffness (reminiscent of the old Prince Polygut). Even at low tension I felt plenty of shock. After the initial tension loss, it felt much more forgiving.

Durability
Plenty of durability for me. I always replace polys long before they break.

Playability Duration
Great for 2 hitting sessions. I experienced the best control and comfort in the second hitting session (I suppose that's when the tension dropped to my sweet spot). It went south in the third session.

Control
The trajectory was very predictable and the string helped me drive the ball more flat. I didn't quite experience much of those poly trajectories where the ball seems to go long but the bottom falls out at the last moment and the ball drops in. I had solid directional control with this setup, but did not do too well with touch shots.

Tension recommendations
I used the low tension for the winter. To my surprise, it was only recently that I found that I like my string tension 20 lbs lower in the winter than I have for the summer. If I had to do it again, I would have gone even lower, perhaps 27/25 lbs.

Compare to the string you use most often
Cyclone Tour would not replace my VS/Beast hybrid. My hybrid has simply more spin, control, explosiveness, and comfort.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare.
I have played with original Cyclone 18 gauge only once, but I seem to remember that the original had a better bite, spin and even comfort (perhaps due to its being much thinner).

Power of test string -- Good power. Nothing that I couldnt control on any of my shots. I like to hit a big serve and I get more fire from my Beast/Gosen Hybrid but I wouldnt mind trying this in a hybrid as well.

Feel -- No complaints here. I still prefer my regular setup but again thats probably because of the hybrid. I have played with a few other textured strings and this one was on the better end. Serves felt a bit stiff. I did like the feel of the ball coming off the bed on forehand and regular groundies

Spin -- Positive here. Good on forehand, nice on slice, but maybe too much on 2 hand backhand. Couldnt find a comfortable swing for a while on 2 hand backhand to get deep placement and ball was diving was short. Got through it.

Comfort -- Middle of the road feel. The best I have used was signum pro tornado as far as textured. This one was better than some others though. I have actually stayed away from textured string for this reason but Cyclone was encouraging

Durability -- No issues. I'm not a big string breaker so this is rarely a factor

Playability Duration -- The strings are still in my racquet. While not fresh, there not bad enough to replace. I string tight so the more they settle in the better. They are definetly on the other side as far as life but I think the playability is still ok.

Control -- Control was good other than taking a bit of time to find the depth control on the 2 handed backhand mentioned above. Power and control combination is just fine on the string for all shots.

Tension recommendations -- Mid 50's for me. Settles in nicely

Compare to the string you use most often -- Hard to compare because I have been a hybrid user recently. I did use Beast XP in a full bed for a time. Beast is more versatile I enjoy it more all around but Cyclone spin would rank higher.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare -- I never used the original Cyclone. I would like to try this in a hybrid so I can experience it how I have been stringing lately.

Power of test string: Definitely up there. More so than other poly’s I have played with. Strung it higher than normal, at 56#s to stiffen up the C10, and to tame the power of the frame and the string itself. Groundstrokes landed deep in the court, too deep a few times. But still, the added pop was great for an aggressive baseliner like myself.

Feel: Not bad. Typically, I like my poly strings to play a little crisper, started to get a little mushy for me once it was past the 6th hour. Very soft stringbed, could feel the ball pocket and then throw it back into the court. Very comfortable feel on impact. Groundstrokes were pleasant, great plush response from Volkl, touch shots and volleys required more effort, the elasticity and pop made these harder to execute, several time had these shots sit up for my opponent to easily put away. Going for a penetrating volley produced great results however.

Spin: The spin this string generated was well above average, along with the rest of the polys I have played with. Especially on serve I noticed a harder bounce with my kick serves. There was however, quite a drop off for me after about the 3rd or 4th hour as the strings rounded out. The spin was still there, but obviously not near what it was fresh. The combination of the loss of spin, as well as tension really made this string harder to control as the playtest went on.

Comfort: Like mentioned, this is a very soft and comfortable string, with a great plush response on impact. Definitely would recommend this string if you are a player who is looking for the performance of poly strings, as well as something a little more forgiving on your arm and joints.

Durability: Not bad for a twisted/shaped poly. Not much string movement early, so they didn’t saw into each other until later in the playtest. I restring every couple weeks regardless, but played these strings till they popped. Got 10 hours out of them, which was longer than I had expected considering how soft the string is.

Playability Duration: The playability of the string is below average compared to many other polys. You just won’t get many playable hours out of this string if you’re an above average hitter. After the 3rd set or around the 6th hour mark, the performance of the string really dropped off for me. Which may be a push for some players, considering the low price of the string at $9 a set.

Control: This was quite a powerful setup right from the get go. But after an adjustment was able to settle into the string and found plenty of control. Especially off of the serve. Easily directed where I wanted to place the ball, especially with my kick serve. Really had to work for the control once the tension dropped however, I found myself having to adjust my swing to compensate for the string, which proved challenging to do on a consistent basis.

Tension Recommendations: If I were to play with the string again I would string around the same tension as I did this go round. 4 or 5 pounds higher than my normal poly tension to compensate for the pop of the string, and tension drop off I experienced.

Comparison to my normal set up: Compared to B5E/N.Vy, Cyclone tour was about the same as comfort goes, which was surprising for me considering it was full poly. However, the tension/playability of my current setup is just terrific, being able to play it well beyond what I experienced with Cyclone Tour. If Volkl could stretch just a couple more hours out of their cyclone strings, they would have a lot more players on board.

Compared to the original Cyclone- N/A

This is a very good performing poly for a very manageable price. I won’t be switching to it, but I will come back to it again, and I’m sure many other players will enjoy it very much just as I did.

Big thanks to TW for the string and allowing me to be a part of the play test!

Power of test string: I felt the string was fairly powerful for a poly. After reading the TW review I decided to string 4lbs higher and this worked out well. I liked the additional power I got from the string.

Feel: I really enjoy the feel of softer polys and this string did not disappoint. One of the better feeling polys I’ve tried.

Spin: Spin was the one area I was hoping would be better. For being marketed as a spin string, I didn’t feel it provided any more than regular Cyclone and was less than MSV Focus Hex.

Comfort: Excellent, definitely on the softer side. I believe this Volkl should be marketing the comfort of the string. Very easy on my arm, even at the higher tension.

Durability: It seems to be holding up fairly well, but I haven’t had a chance to put many hours on it yet.

Playability Duration: An area of possible concern, it softened up noticeably after initial play.

Control: I thought the control was good, but again I strung it up a few lbs higher than usual, so that helped. With the noticeable loss in tension and the softness of the string I would definitely recommend stringing higher than normal.

Tension recommendations: 3-5lbs higher than usual for poly.
Compare to the string you use most often: I liked the feel and comfort better than MVS Focus Hex, but felt it had much less spin potential and a bit less control.
If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare: Cyclone Tour is more lively and powerful than original Cyclone, however, with less control and spin potential. Overall I would give the edge to original Cyclone.

Power: I didn't feel it was too impressive as far as power goes. Not on the lowest end of the spectrum, but definitely not on the higher end. Probably mid-lower end from what I've tested. I wasn't disappointed with it though, it gave me what I needed, and it didn't lack so much that I wasn't able to make up for it. Groundstrokes were easy to keep in play, although I had some trouble against players with flatter/harder shots. Volleys seemed to go a little deeper than I wanted, but I was able to adjust. My flat serves were a little more difficult to keep in, kickers were fine, no noticeable improvement on pace though.

Feel: A little mushy for me once they broke in after a few hours of play, mainly on groundstrokes. Not quite as crisp as some other strings I've tried. Again, not too bad, it was manageable and didn't bother me too much, but not my favorite feel overall. It felt a little springy at the net, as volleys seemed to sail a little longer than I was going for.

Spin: The shining attribute, in my opinion. It took a little extra effort, but with it I was able to produce about as much spin as with my Tour Bite. However, I wasn't able to put as much pace on it while generating as much spin, in comparison to Tour Bite. Overall though, the amount of spin was easy to control, both forehand and backhand, and made for some nice shot placement. Kick serves and slice serves were pretty effective. Again, a little less pace than I'd like while putting as much spin on it, but easy to place and still effective.

Comfort: I didn't notice any discomfort during or after any session testing with this string. Once it started to die though, (started about 3-4 hours of hitting, really noticeable at about 6) it didn't feel too good, but hey what dead poly does?

Durability: Durability was pretty good, not much notching and it didn't break, but I usually cut poly out before it breaks anyways. I was satisfied though.

Playability Duration: After the tension settled in, after the first hour or so of hitting, it was great. It seemed to last on that same level for a decent amount of time, maybe another 2-3 hours, and then dropped off pretty quick, and I didn't like playing with it after that.

Control: The easy access to spin made for some easy control, but even flat shots and touch shots felt pretty good. I would find here and there that would sail on me, but for the most part it was pretty consistent. Serves were easy to control, definitely on the upper end for me.

Tension Reccomendations: I would like to try a little looser to see how the power compared, maybe 4 lbs or so.

Comparison to normal set up: Overall I like Tour Bite better, because of its crisper feel and holds tension better. I like that I can get more spin on harder shots, which was more difficult for me with the playtest string. I felt it came close in most categories, particularly spin and control, with power and feel on the lower end.

Power of test string - Solid power for a poly. Not too springy or uncontrollable. Good combination with lower powered racquet.
Feel – Nice feel around the net on touch shots, drop shots an angle volleys.
Spin – There was enough spin for my game.I hit flat off both sides and didn't feel as if I was missing needed spin on groundstrokes. I could appreciate the spin on my kick and slice serves.
Durability – Durability has been very good. Very little notching after about 12 hours.
Playability Duration – Still playable after about 6 sets of doubles and a couple groundstroke sessions. Very good for a poly.
Control – Control was about average. I did not feel any loss or gain of control with this string.
Tension recommendations – Should be strung loose in dense string patterns, 46-48 for my stick. I could see how this string could be springy/spongy in an open pattern if strung to loose however.
Compare to the string you use most often – It plays similiarly to Barbwire. I think the Barbwire is a little more crisp and maybe not quite as powerful.
If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare – N/A

Power of test string:
- this string was very powerful for a poly I thought, I was quite easily landing the ball close to the baseline and I was actually able to play defensively fairly well without a lot of effort.

Feel:
- it felt fairly soft. About like rpm blast. Nothing more to say here.

Spin:
- this is where I thought the string was lacking. It did not provide the spin that I like when I use it poly. It provided some but not comparable to alu power rough or rpm blast.

Comfort:
- very comfortable. I think this could be used by someone that has mild to moderate arm issues.

Durability:
- durability was fine, this was not even close to breaking (~10 hours total)

Playability Duration:
- it played well for roughly 4 hours. After that everything started to sail and it started to feel harsher.

Control:
- very good control. Volleys were the most difficult to place accurately probably due only to the fact that I am accustomed to natural gut. Every other stroke was fine.

Tension recommendations:
- I strung mine at 46lbs and I think that I would recommend this between 48 and 50lbs. 46 felt a little too springy.

Compare to the string you use most often:
- Compared to Pacific classic natural gut this string imparts slightly more spin, surprisingly about the same power, but feels noticeably stiffer. This string felt similar to a combination of natural gut and polyester. It did not provide incredible spin as some polyesters can but it did provide some power and definitely more comfort than most polyesters.

Overall: I would use it again, 8/10.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare:
- I have not.

I play tested another racquet I've been trying, the Wilson BLX 95 16x18.

Gauge of playtest string
18g

Tension used for playtest
41/38lbs

Regular string set up
RPM Blast 17g/ VS Power 17g

Racquet brand and model used for test
Wilson BLX 95 16x18

Power:
Good power. Not as powerful as it was on the Donnay P1 obviously. But it had juice I could use when I needed it.

Feel:
Average. There's good bite and pocketing but the feedback isn't there. So when I hit slice dinks at the feet of volleyers or drop volleys, the balls did end up where I wanted them to go, but I couldn't "feel" there. No worse than any other co-poly though either. Since this was an 18g string, I'd hate to play with a 16g or even the 17g.

Spin:
Great spin for control. I could kick more than halfway up the service line on serves when needed. Good action on all shots. Only thing is I can't feel is the topspin flicks I hit to pass net rushers. The bite on the ball does roll well though. I think 18g is definitely the right string for me with this racquet.

Comfort
It's fairly comfortable with this racquet. The Donnay P1 I had a bit of a sore arm but I was also playing harder against bigger hitters.

Playability and durability:
Pretty good so far. 6+ hours and still playing well. Minimal notching.

Control:
The combination of spin and power makes this string quite good to play with.

Tension recommendations:
Still need to experiment but I'm comfortable with the 40 lbs +1 or 2 lbs for mains. The initial 15 mins the string doesn't play as well but once it's broken in, it played better and better. There's good spin to keep the balls in and I like the lower power of

Compare to the string you use most often:
I like the string @ 18g. I do want to experiment using it as a hybrid with natural gut to get back some touch and feel.

Gauge of playtest string-16g
Tension used for playtest-62lbs
Regular string set up-luxilon 4g 62lbs
Racquet brand and model used for test-wilson prostaff six one 95 modded
Power of test string-this string was up there with some of the more powerful polys ive played with, i felt like i had to swing a little slower with this because of that power, in turn making me less aggressive in games.
Feel-this string was pretty springy even on the first hitting i had with it, feel was okay nothing too good or too bad just enough to help me at the net and with my terribly awful slices
Spin-this is the one area of the string that does very well, though i did say earlier that i had to swing slower because of the power of the string, i really didnt have to swing any harder beacause i just let the weight of the racket follow me through, so groundstrokes were very solid and nice, just serves were throwing me off because of the power
Comfort-very comfortable, i'd say its also up there with some of the more comfortable strings ive tried, no elbow problems here at all
Durability-i normally dont break polys because i usually cut them out right after they die, but one thing i did notice was a fair bit of notching towards the end of my time playing with the strings
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time)-not so strong here, the first time i hit with it, it was a tiny bit springy but i did read the TW review and they said to string higher but i didnt, so that was expected, after the first hitting (which was about 3 hrs), the string felt more and more springy after each hitting, so this isnt the strings strong suit, in total i'd say i played a little less than 13 hours with this string
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?)-there was a clear loss of control for me on my serves for some reason, so felt like i had to back off a bit on my serves and just try to be more consistent, this string really didnt give me the confidence i usually have with my usual string, which just lets me rip at the ball, i always felt like the ball was going to go out on really hard shots from the baseline so slowing down the swing was my strategy during the playtest
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?)-for me about 5lbs. so i can compensate for the slight springyness of the string, and i usually like a stiffer feeling stringbed because it makes me feel like i can swing harder at the ball
Compare to the string you use most often-this and lux 4g are two completly different strings, the lux was better in everything else except for power and spin
If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare- sorry but i have not played with the original cyclone, but i do plan on trying a set of it on the near future
Thank you TW and Volkl for the chance to be in this playtest, and sorry for being late AGAIN, schoolwork over this winter break has been heavy, thanks once again!!

Power of test string - The Cyclone Tour had, for me, just enough power to keep me satisfied. Power was definitely not in short supply; however you definitely have to really swing to get it. Overall, while it wasn’t as powerful as BHB7 I was very satisfied with the power that I was getting from these strings.

Feel – While touch shots were well above average the actual sound and feedback I got from hitting was not good. I got very little pocketing and the sound off the strings was a cheap “pingy” sound. Even with well struck balls I didn’t get any deep boom like sounds or a solid feeling pop that I’m accustomed to. With that said, however, my drop shots and touch shots were actually very nice. My hitting partner commented on a few of the drop shots and how the spin pulled the ball back toward the net after the bounce. My volleys were solid and placement was good. While I wasn’t pleased with the feel of the strings, the end result was definitely a positive. On a side note, these strings, while softer than MSV FH and RPM blast and all the other stiffer strings they are not as soft compared to BHB7 or Black Widow. If you like a soft poly this may not be for you, and if you like a stiffer poly, again this may not be for you, however if you want a string that is literally in the middle than definitely give these a try. Lastly, I had no arm issues or soreness after my match.

Spin – Compared to BHB7 the spin just doesn’t compare (most don’t), but that doesn’t mean the spin is lacking. Not many strings can give you the spin and work of BHB7 and while I couldn’t generate the super aggressive dips and high bouncing balls, I can’t recall any of my shots going long and only a one falling unreasonably short. The spin is definitely controllable and ample when aggressively struck. My backhand slice was above average but I did notice more than a few falling short, but even then it skid of the ground making it very difficult on my opponent. While I wasn’t trying to hit these short low shots, again, the end result was positive. I also remember hitting a topspin backhand which felt like it should have gone long, and I though it did if not for my partner telling me it landed on the line. I was very impressed by the spin after that shot and while BHB7 generates more spin I almost prefer this more controllable, yet ample, amount of spin generated by CT.

Durability – Compared to BHB7 CT is definitely more durable. I played two very long sets with this setup and after my session I noticed very little notching and wear. Though definitely, not as durable as MSV FH, but more durable than BHB7 and Hurricane Pro Tour. I was very satisfied with the wear or lack there of.

Playability Duration – I played 2 sets hitting aggressive off the baseline and kicking my first and second servce and I did not notice any decline in play or playability. In fact, as I continued and got accustomed to the setup I was definitely controlling my shots better and still getting a good amount of spin and power. Tension maintenance seemed fine for 2 strong sets.

Control – I think this is the strong point for this string. It does a lot of things well, not great, but well and the amount of control you get with the nice amount of power, for me, was welcomed. The only shots I generally missed were wide and in the net and mostly those shots were forced errors from my opponent. I played a very consistent match and found I could go for more and still feel confident that I wasn’t going to spray the ball.
Tension recommendations – Since tension varies from racquet to racquet I was happy with my 49 lbs since this line of Donnay is generally low in power. I prefer very powerful strings since I feel I can get all the control from the racquet. For more powerful racquets I would say 52-55 lbs would be a good start, for lower power racquets 45-49 lbs.

Compare to the string you use most often – Not as powerful as BHB7 or as “spinny”, however I would say the control is better and overall a very nice string for someone who hasn’t played with, or has limited experience with a poly. This does everything well, good touch, nice power, good spin, and above average control. If you don’t mind the lack of feel and feedback I think it’s a very nice entry level string made for the masses. Personally I’m going to play with this some more and fool around with the tension. Overall I like it and may consider this as an option going forward.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare – N/A

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Last night I played another match with these strings and I have to say the difference is astounding compared to the first time. I was sure the tension was going to be lower, but who new it would bottom out like it did. The racquet which just a week ago produce a nice, powerful, and controllable shot turned into an unpredictable canon. My shots literally were all over the place especially on my return of serve and top spin forehand. Drop shots had no bite and touch was completely gone. As for my top spin forehand, the once geared and twisted string is now a round poly. I was somewhat impressed with this string when I first hit with it, but now I'm going to cut them out and move on. Luckily I had another setup (msv focus hex / babolat addiction) and my control was back and my shots were falling back in with nice spin and power. In other words, it definitely wasn't my stroke that produced wild shots, but the string.

Gauge of playtest string: 16g
Tension used for playtest: 54
Regular string set up: Solinco Tour Bite 16 at 53#
Racquet brand and model used for test: Babolat Pure Storm 2007
Power: I had a lot more power on my shots than I usually do. Shots flew
way long off of my racket. It was very difficult to adjust to the power
that came of the strings. I tried to make various adjustments at various
times and finally succeeded after a long time.
Feel: I loved the feel of these strings. It really felt like I could feel
the ball very well every time I hit it. I had a lot more touch than I
usually did on dropshots and volleys. Would be a great string for a
serve-and-volleyer.
Spin: Generated a decent amount of spin on my shots. It was enough to
still play the same style that I usually do, but there are other strings
out there that will produce more spin and suit my game better.
Comfort: Definitely the most comfortable string I've ever played with. I
had no trouble on any of my shots. Serve, groundstrokes, volleys had no
problems. Seems like this would be a good string for someone with tennis
elbow.
Durability: Lasted through the entirety of the playtest in terms of its
life span. I'm not a string breaker so there were no major issues here.
Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed
over time): The string started off well, maintaining its tension for the
beginning of the playtest. As time went on, however, the performance of
the string dropped off significantly. It was difficult to play with a
string that lost so much of its tension in a short amount of time.
Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and
swing speeds?): All of my shots were flying all over the place. I had to
make major adjustments to my game in order to get the ball to go where I
wanted it. It improved a little bit when I tried to add more spin on my
shots, but I've played better with other strings on my racket.
Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a
different tension? Why?): I recommend that this string be strung at a
high tension for a few reasons. First of all, this string doesn't retain
tension very well so starting it at a higher tension will result in more
time to play with the string at a reasonable tension. Secondly, this
string has tons of power, so it would be wise to string it at a higher
tension to maintain control of your shots.
Compare to the string you use most often: A lot softer and more powerful
than the Solinco Tour Bite 16, which is a little more stiff and offers
better spin on my shots. Not saying that the Volkl Cyclone Tour is a
worse string, but each players has their own playing style, and different
strings are better for certain types of play.

Power of test string - This is a very powerful co-poly. First day hitting I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, the string is very soft and springy but yet it grabs the ball nicely. I was afraid the shots I hit would sail out but somehow the spin was able to keep it in the court. Definitely takes a little getting used to, one needs to have a lot of confidence in their strokes to be willing to hit out with this. Occasionally there will be a flyer or two but if you're able to control that power, this setup can be addictive! The added power along with a high launch angle creates a very heavy ball that is difficult for the opponents to handle.

Feel - One word, springy. This is a love/hate relationship for me. I love it when the springy and powerful stringbed allows me to launch a super heavy ball and the opponent struggles to get it back. I hate it when I'm on defense, had to block a shot back and the ball sails on me when I barely touched it. I thought to myself how can anyone control this stuff if they don't use spin, they can't. Initially I thought the wording on the TW site was a bit strange "Volkl Cyclone Tour, a somewhat springy co-poly designed for big hitters," but that pretty much nailed it.

Spin - At the start I was a bit unsure what the Cyclone Tour was capable of, looking at all the texture and and twists I was expecting this to be a spin monster but that wasn't the case. In rallying I was getting good spin but not tremendous spin, it wasn't until I started to hit out and take full strokes that the spin potential was fully realized. Once full racquet speed was used, the ball launched, nose dived into the court then exploded toward the back fence, it was jaw dropping. I could not believe what I was seeing, I really didn't think such a springy, powerful string bed could be controlled but it did. There were streaks where I hit 20+ forehands at full speed and every single one of them dove into the court, then jumping in an unpredictable fashion. The only way I can explain this is when striking the ball with full force, the soft/springy string bed cradles the ball and the textured strings bite and launch it with tremendous spin and power behind it. I have to say this stuff is not for everyone, some will say no thanks at the first sign of springyness but for those that can find a way to control it, it could be a really fun ride!

Comfort - Needless to say the Cyclone Tour scored high in this category. I had the 16 gauge, strung it at 57lbs and this is one of the softest co-polys I have tried. I thought the comfort level was on par with Black Magic or maybe even more comfortable than BM for how soft and springy the string bed is. I really don't think anybody can hurt themselves with this string unless you are stringing it at 60lbs +, I am not a believer in stringing polys that high. If one likes the firmer feel, they can simply play with Babolat Revenge or Alu power. The impression this string had made on me is I can hit big with tremendous power and spin but at the same time its not going to shred my arm into pieces, what a wonderful concept! Win win situation, best of both worlds!

Durability - This is always one of my main concerns as I am a string breaker. At the end of the 3rd hit session the strings are starting to move a bit, there are some notching but I expect to be able to get another 3 sessions out of it before breakage. The initial playability of the string with the textures and sharp edges only lasted one session and it wore off quickly like everyone says. Midway through the 3rd session there was a huge tension drop and the springiness got springier. At nine dollars a pop and $140 per reel, it is a bit difficult for me to pull the trigger since I break strings about once a week. To me the more realistic price point has to be $100 or less per reel, competition is stiff out there.

Playability Duration (share thoughts on if/how the playability changed over time) - Playability at the start is tremendous, the strings are sharp, the texture is there, the string bed cradles and bites the ball nicely and has a certain amount of crispness to it surprisingly. Couple hours into it, the texture is eroding, string bed is very lively, the bite is still there although not as sharp as earlier. In the 2nd session I thought the string maintained its playability quite nicely, nothing really changed much after the initial drop off. It maintained that consistency until midway through the 3rd session that's when I experienced a major tension drop and control is starting to suffer. I am still hitting the ball fine but in the back of my mind I am always thinking when is that flyer going to come. In match situation I may have to switch to a new string bed.

Control (predictable trajectory? performance on different strokes and swing speeds?) - Control was good as long as I have enough racquet speed going through my shots but in certain defensive situations where I have to block the ball back then it becomes a challenge. I find it very difficult after hitting full strokes then have to hit a touch shot and control the depth with this setup, that's the downside of a powerful setup. Other than that, I thought the control was very good for something this powerful. In my opinion, the more powerful the setup, the more difficult it is to get that pinpoint accuracy for the simple reason that so much more action could be put on the ball. To me, this string performed more than satisfactory in this area but I'm sure there will be others that disagree.

Tension recommendations (after hitting it, would you recommend a different tension? Why?) - For big hitters or people that like it a bit firmer they may want to string this up 2 or 3lbs higher than their usual co-poly but for me I'm going to stay at my usual 57lbs. The thinking behind that is this string is designed to be soft, springy, powerful. If I take it up to 60lbs +, it'll bring a lot more control back into play but at the same time it takes the "fun" qualities of the string out. Bottom line is if I want a control oriented string, there are plenty of those out on the market.

Compare to the string you use most often - Bhbr is a control string compared to the Cyclone Tour, they are both powerful strings but CT is in a class of its own. It is the most powerful co-poly I have used. In the spin department, I'd say they're about equal but its a different kind of spin. With the added power, pocketing and spin, CT's trajectory and flight path allowed me to do things other strings cannot. The one thing that keeps coming to mind is the control issue, while the majority of the time I am able to tame the power of the CT but there is that one shot under pressure where it can fly have me second guessing if this string is ready for competitive match play. Overall, I'd say one has to take the good along with the bad, I'm curious how CT holds up in the summer heat but at the moment it is definitely a good winter blend.

If you have played with the original Cyclone, please compare - Have not played with the original Cyclone

Summary - Overall I thought this was one of the more fun playtest I've had, there were many other ones where I was hoping to get it over with quickly. Sad to say but there are times where some of the manufacturers were putting out strings that they should not be, *ahem I won't say who.

The Volkl Cyclone Tour is definitely worth further investigating, it has unique attributes which I don't see many others have. In a way CT is allowing players to experience co-poly at low tension without physically going to that tension. The recent trend on the boards have players stringing polys in the 30's or 40's, in a way this is what the CT feels like but with added power and maybe slightly more firmness and crispness to that.

I never thought I could associate pocketing with co-poly strings but this is exactly what the Cyclone Tour has done. The soft characteristics allowed the ball to be more easily pocketed and effectively gives it more spin to control the shots, to me the extra spin seems not to be coming from the texture or the material of the string with but rather from the pocketing effect. I've tried low tension before and was a none believer but this playtest leaves me thinking I should explore that a bit further. I will be dropping tension wth BHBR from 57 to 52, 50, 48, 45 to see if I can create the same effect.

The CT is definitely something I would like to have in my bag for days when I just want something fun to hit with. I am really curious how other players will react to its unique characteristics by changing their setup to this. Unfortunately at $140 per reel I will not be taking that risk. I would have pulled the trigger if it was $100 or below, how about a promotion like what Kirschbaum did with the Super Smash so we can explore it a bit more?

Thanks TW for letting me playtest this string, it was a really fun ride~

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Good review.

Tennis.com tested this recently and make similar comments about playability and tension loss.